Boat-launching apparatus.



No 759,340. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. J. BRAUGHLI.

BOAT LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

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No. 759,340. PATBNTED MAY-1o, 1904. J.BRAUGHLI. BOAT LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1903.

H0 MODEL. '7 SHEETS-SHEET 2- int-"0M: mm: cmmm-unm, WAKMINYITON. u. c.

No. 759,340. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

J. BRAUGHLI.

BOAT LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED mm; 0. 1903.

no MODEL,

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WITNESSES PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

J. BRAUOHLI.

BOAT LAUNOHING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 9,1903.

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N0 MODEL.

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No. 759,340. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. J. BRAUOHLI.

BOAT LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9. 1903.

. N0 MODEL. 7 SHEETB-SIIBET 5,

Horn a) PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

J. BRAUGHLI.

BOAT LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1903.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

H0 MODEL.

A JNVENTOR Altomev [TNESSES I PATBNTED MAY 10, 1904. J. BRAUCHLI. BOAT LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9' 1903.

7 SHEETK-SHBET L No MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BOAT-LAUNCHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,340, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed June 9, 1903. Serial No. 160,673. (No model.)

To all whom it IN/(Ly concern.-

Be itknown that I, JAcos BRAUCHLI, a resident of Hampton, in the county of Elizabeth City and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat- Launching and Life-Saving Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved boatlaunching and life-saving apparatus, an object of the invention being to provide improvements of this character in which the boat in its stowed position is supported by and secured to its conveying apparatus and is therefore always in a position ready for launching and can be lowered at a moments notice.

A further object is to provide improved apparatus which carries the boat entirely inside the lines of the ship and at the same time sufiiciently far above deck to be out of the way and not form an obstruction; to obviate the necessity for the turning of the apparatus in a horizontal plane in order to get a boat from an inboard to an outboard position; to avoid the use of ropes and tackle of any kind for handling the boat, and thus avoid all possible confusion; to insure the launching of the boat well clear of the vessel when it reaches the water and securely hold it in the same relative position until released, thus eliminating all danger of the boat being damaged by coming in contact with the ships side, whereby oars can be used from both sides of the boat at the same time, and thus hasten the departure of the boat from the ships side.

A further object is to provide apparatus for the purpose stated which shall be simple in construction and require absolutely no skill to operate the same and to minimize the chances of getting out of order.

A further object is to so construct the apparatus that a boat can be launched in a few seconds by one man regardless of the motion or condition of the ship and be released with great ease and certainty.

A further object is to so construct the apparatus that the arrangements of the boats on shipboard will be independent of any deck or superstructure, since they are not supported by them, and deck-space formerly occupied by boats can be used for other purposes.

A further object is to provide simple means whereby passengers can have easy access to the boats after they have been launched and so that the boats in their stowed position will not take water, special coverings to prevent the same being thus rendered unnecessary.

A further object is to so construct the apparatus that large boats can be handled and launched as easily as small ones.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the side of a ship, showing my improvements in position for launching. 2 is a side view showing a portion of the framework of a ship. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating the boatsecuring devices; and Figs. 4 to 23, inclusive, are views illustrating various details of construction.

1 represents a ship, and 2 the main deck thereof, to which my improved frame 3 is connected by hinges 4:. This frame 3 comprises parallel angle-irons secured at one end to the hinges 4 and connected at their free ends by an angle-bar 5. These longitudinal irons 3 are connected at regular intervals by steps 6, having lugs 7 at both ends, and said lugs 7 are pivotally secured between their ends to irons 3. The ends of said lugs on one side are pivotally connected to a bar 8, and alever 9 is fulcrumed between its ends at the upper end of, the iron and pivotally connected at one end to the bar 8, so that when said lever is moved the angle of all of the steps will be changed to dispose all of the steps in a horizontal position regardless of the incline of the frame, and a springpressed detent is provided on the lever to engage a segment 10 011 the frame to lock the lever and steps in any desired position.

The parallel irons of frame 3 have secured thereto brackets 11, to which hand-rails 12 are pivotally secured and when in use can be Fig.

swung up to and locked in theposition shown, and when the boat is stowed the hand-rails are folded against the frame to be out of the way.

To the cross-bar 5 at the end of frame 3 curved T-bars, 13 are secured, forming a cradle to receive the boat, and keel-blocks 14 and frames 15 are secured to these bars 13 to guide the boat onto the keel-blocks. Brackets 16 are secured to the bars 13, and each of said brackets provides a bearing for a rotary sleeve 17, having an enlargement at one end and a nut screwed on the other end to prevent longitudinal movement of the sleeve in the bearing, and radial arms 18 are provided on the enlarged end of said sleeve to facilitate its rotation. Ascrew 19 is mounted in each sleeve 17 and has a bifurcated lug secured thereto at one end and adapted to engage a flanged web 20 on bracket 16 to prevent rotary movement of the screw and compel its longitudinal movement when sleeve 17 is turned.

The outer end of each screw 19 has a flat perforated head 21, pivoted between parallel lugs 22 on a plate 23 by means of a pin 24:, which latter is secured in position by a setscrew 25. Each plate 23 has a curved outer face to engage the side of the boat, which is held thereagainst by my improvements, which will now be described.

Each bracket 16 is provided with an'integral perforated arm 27, to which a rope, chain, or other flexible connecting device 28 is secured, the other end of the device 28 being removably attached to hook 29, carried by the boat. Each hook 29 is made integral with a plate 30, recessed to receive the head of a bolt 31, and afianged collar 32, mounted on the bolt, above the head thereof, is secured to the plate 30 to secure the latter and the hook 29 to the screw and at the same time permit of rotary movement of the hook and its plate 30. The bolt 31 is mounted in a sleeve 33, and the latter is mounted to turn in a bearing 34: at the outer end of an arm 35, integral with a casting 36, secured to the inner face of the side of the boat by rivets or otherwise. Two such devices as above described are employed in each side of the eradle at respective ends of the boat. Each sleeve 33 is enlarged at one end and provided on its other end with a nut to prevent any longitudinal movement of the sleeve in the bearing, and a crank-arm 37 is made integral with the enlarged end of said sleeve to facilitate the turning thereof and consequent adjustment of the hook 29.

' It will be seen that to secure a boat in position it is run onto the cradle with its keel resting on blocks.

' The plates 23 are moved out tightly against the sides of the boat by adjusting the sleeves 17. The ropes or other flexible connecting devices 28 are then placed on hooks 29 and the sleeves 33 adjusted by turning crank-arms 37 to draw the ropes taut and firmly secure the boat in the cradle, andwhen launching the boat the sleeves 33 are turned to loosen the ropes and permit them to be swung off the hooks 29, when the boat can be immediately rowed away from the ship, as the oars can be used on both sides, due to the open cradle and its distant removal from the ships side.

My improvements may be raised and lowered by a great variety of apparatus, and I have illustrated one form in which a drum or Windlass 38 is located on the upper deck and connected by a cable 39 with the outer end of frame 3, or this cable might be secured to any form of cleat or other securing devices which will permit the quick releasing of the cable without undue confusion.

When the boat is stowed, it is in a position upside down, so that no cover is needed to keep out water, and frame 3 is in an upright position, and both the frame and boat are inside the ships lines, out of danger of being struck by an object with which the ship may rub against. My improvements take up no deck-space and can be easily operated by one man to lower a boat into the water without any confusion whatever.

In launching a boat under ordinary conditions the frame 3 will be at an angle of about forty-five degrees; but should the ship be higher or lower in water the boat can be launched just as easily; but in all cases I endeavor to so arrange my apparatus that the mean position between the maximum and minimum draft will be at an angle of forty-five degrees.

\Vith my improvements a boat can be easily launched in a very rough sea, and on ships which are not intended for passengers I will simply provide the rungs of a ladder instead of the steps.

A great many slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from my invention, and hence Iwould have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such. slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a boat-launching and life-saving apparatus, the combination of a frame or ladder adapted to be hinged at one end to a ship or other support, a cradle at the other end of said frame or ladder and means for securing a boat on said cradle.

2. In a boat-launching and life-saving apparatus, the combination of a frame or ladder adapted to be hinged at one end to a ship or other support, a cradle at the other end of said frame or ladder to enter the water and receive a boat thereon, and adjustable devices carried by the boat and cradle for securing a boat in the cradle and rmrmitting its quick release therefrom.

3. In a boat-launching and life-saving apparatus, the combination of a ladder or frame adapted to be hinged at one end to a ship or other support, a cradle secured to the other end of said frame or ladder, keel-blocks on said cradle to receive the keel of the boat, plates to engage the sides of the boat, means for adjusting said plates, and flexible connecting devices secured to the cradle, and adjustable hooks to be secured to the boat and engaging said flexible connecting devices.

4. The combination with a frame to be hinged to a ship, of a cradle carried by said frame, keel-blocks on said cradle to receive the keel of a boat, brackets secured to the cradle, screwscarried by said brackets, sleeves to adjust the screws, plates carried by the screws to engage the sides of a boat, flexible connecting devices secured to said brackets, and adjustable hooks to be secured to the boat and adapted to engage the flexible connecting devices to secure the boat in the cradle.

5. The combination with a hinged boat supporting and launching device having a cradle thereon and flexible connecting devices secured to the cradle, of brackets or castings to be secured to a boat, outwardly-projecting arms on said brackets or castings having bearings in their outer ends, sleeves mounted to rotate in said bearings and secured against longitudinal movement, crank-arms on the sleeves to turn them, screws in said sleeves,

and hooks carried by the screws and engaging the flexible connecting devices to secure the boat in the cradle.

6. In a boat-launching and life-saving apparatus, the combination with a frame hinged to the main deck of a ship, and means for securing a boat at the outer end of said frame in position for launching, of steps hinged to said frame, and means for adjusting the position of all of said steps simultaneously and locking them in any position.

7. In a boat-launching and life-saving apparatus, the combination with a frame hinged to the main deck of a ship and having means for securing a boat in launching position at its outer end, of steps having lugs at their ends pivoted to the main bars of said frame, a bar connecting all of the lugs at one side of the frame, a lever to move the bar, and. means for locking the lever in any position.

8. In a boat-launching and life-saving apparatus, the combination with a frame hinged to the main deck of a ship and comprising a stairway or ladder, means at the free end of said frame for securing a boat in launching position, and railings hinged to the sides of said frame and adapted to be folded against the frame when not in use.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specfieation in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB BRAUOHLI. Witnesses:

'Inos. B. HENLEY, MARYUS J ONES. 

